Ken Morrison says our cities need to be transformed for our ageing population – and it’s not solely about nursing homes.

By 2050 Australia will have a population of 35 million – almost a quarter of whom will be over 65. And while we are ageing, our cities are growing. It’s not just aged care facilities and health care which will be under pressure but our cities as a whole — transport, outdoor spaces, housing, information access and security.

The Property Council’s Ken Morrison tells 3Q the problem is not isolated to the lack of nursing home places. With a declining tax base and a burgeoning number of elderly, the pressures on all tiers of government will be immense which is why making cities function now is more important than ever.
Read his blog about age friendly cities.

As the Government promotes its policy of the elderly staying in their homes for longer, the Property Council is part of an organisation lobbying for all new homes to be built to universal design standards by 2020.

Read about the partnership between the Property Council, government and other organisations.

By building a house to last its occupants’ lifetimes, despite illness or disability, we will all be able to live independently for longer. Universal design ideas are already being implemented in Japan, Britain, Canada and Norway.

Ken Morrison explains why people, place and ease are the ingredients which get cultural entrepreneurs thinking big in the city.

What set of ingredients turns a drab, pocket of town into a new must-go place?

For Melbourne, it was the economic decline of the 80s which saw Jeff Kennett relax liquor laws to allow small bar owners to take over empty city shops and laneways which gave the city its cultural vibe.

Others are following their footsteps: Sydney is seeing an emergence of small bars thanks to new licensing laws; Adelaide is building city centre apartments to bring the population back in and previously staid old Perth is thriving thanks to a laneway revitalisation program to cater for international guests who are in town for the mining boom.

The Property Council’s Ken Morrison of the Property Council of Australia tells 3Q it’s still up to city planners to follow through and get the funk back into town squares.

Ken Morrison is the Chief Operating Officer of the Property Council of Australia, the nation’s advocate for the $600 billion property industry.

Ken’s role is to drive a strategic review of the organisation and oversee the growth of its national business operations.